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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2018 / I Voted, Did You?

I Voted, Did You?

by John Cole|  October 25, 20181:23 pm| 157 Comments

This post is in: Election 2018

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Got up and did my annual voting tradition- showered, fed the animals, threw on my “It’s Mueller Time” t-shirt the trusty bib overalls (I wore the striped “dress overalls” for the occasion, and headed to the big city. I got my hair cut, then went and exercised one of my favorite rights, voting against the bastards and for the good guys.

Basically a straight Democratic ticket and I voted for all three levies (I like the library, animal shelter, and having fire departments because I am a pinko commie), and against the offensive abortion bullshit amendment and the amendment giving the legislature power to harass the State Supreme Court of Appeals. I support oversight of the court budget, but I did not like the language of the current amendment, it was offered by our wingnut Republican legislature, and given the current shenanigans with the court in WV, it looks to me like it will just be casus belli to fuck with them and impeach people on trumped up nonsense.

It was super nice to have several candidates I really, really like to vote for this election. You know how I feel about Kendra Fershee and Ihlenfeld, but I also like AJ Thomas who’s a good young kid (he’s also my lawyer), and DiSerio is a good fellow, too. I was in such a chipper mood voting for them that I did not even need to roofie myself before voting for Manchin. I have a lot of problems with him, but I really think he is the best we can expect for right now from the Democrats, and as long as he keeps supporting SS, Medicaid, and caucusing with the Dems, I will vote for him. One thing I should also say about Joe Manchin is that despite his many flaws, I never have ANY doubt that he loves this state. He’s one of us, it’s not phony or fake, and he’s not the brightest or the best, but again, he’s one of us and his love for the people and the state is genuine, and that’s just going to have to be good enough for me (and it goes without saying that Morissey is just a complete and total shallow fraud).

After I voted I headed north and put up some more signs for Fershee and Ihlenfeld, and the main drags are looking pretty good. Overall the candidates have got some pretty good coverage of all the intersections and main thoroughfares. From here on out it’s phone and text banking and driving people to the polls.

WHITE PEOPLE PLEASE DO NOT FUCK THIS UP LIKE 2016.

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Reader Interactions

157Comments

  1. 1.

    mellowjohn

    October 25, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    I did it yesterday in Chicago. All blue, through and through.

  2. 2.

    Elizabelle

    October 25, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    Voted yesterday. In and out of the registrar’s office in 6 minutes, and, while there was never a “line”, there was a steady stream of voters. Yea!

  3. 3.

    PaulWartenberg

    October 25, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR LIBRARIES!

    Please support your local library system if any bond or tax issue is on your ballot!

    For myself, I’m a traditionalist in doing the voting on the actual Election Day. But then again I admit I’m a white male so I don’t get a lot of hassles, my precincts are never shut down, and the precincts themselves are never bunched up with 100s of people waiting in line. Gee, I wonder if it has something to do with living in the suburbs where all the Southern Baptist churches are…

    Anyways, being slightly paranoid about voter suppression I’ve been checking my voter status on a weekly basis up to Election Day. Should I stay worried about that?

  4. 4.

    Elizabelle

    October 25, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    I like your comments about Manchin. They sound both realistic and generous.

  5. 5.

    PaulWartenberg

    October 25, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Can I sue YouTube for the godawful trump GOTV ads popping up? It’s causing serious emotional damages.

  6. 6.

    Eunicecycle

    October 25, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    Already voted here in Ohio, too! Straight Democratic! After we left, my husband remarked that we hadn’t been asked for ID! You fill out an absentee ballot request form, give it to one of the clerks, and they give you your electronic card with the ballot on it. Maybe they were supposed to, but they didn’t.

  7. 7.

    Geoduck

    October 25, 2018 at 1:34 pm

    Sent off my WA state all-mail-in ballot a few days ago. Voted for the Democrats. Voted for the gun-control initiative. Voted against the soft-drink industry. Voted to maintain/expand local public transit.

  8. 8.

    MagdaInBlack

    October 25, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    Voted Monday, 1st day of early voting in Illinois.
    Quite a steady stream of voters while I was there, everyone was very helpful and most workers were women, as you mentioned last evening.

  9. 9.

    Joe Falco

    October 25, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    As a Georgian, voting for the candidates was the easiest part. I will admit I did vote for the Republican incumbent for county commissioner but only because I personally know him not to be a putz, and, like Cole said about Manchin, he actually loves his home and the people here.

  10. 10.

    Dave

    October 25, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    Voted yesterday here in Wisconsin. I took my 18 y.o. daughter with for her first general election. Two more votes for every Democrat on the ticket. In the twenty minutes it took there were probably half a dozen others voting.

  11. 11.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    October 25, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    support oversight of the court budget, but I did not like the language of the current amendment, it was offered by our wingnut Republican legislature, and given the current shenanigans with the court in WV, it looks to me like it will just be casus belli to fuck with them and impeach people on trumped up nonsense.

    Was it just me, or was the wording of that amendment purposefully confusing or am I just not understanding legalese?

    Anyway, I voted a week ago absentee and voted straight Dem, even for the Ohio State Supreme Court. In previous years, I don’t recall the Democrats identifying OSC candidates as Democrats. They’re supposed to be “nonpartisan” candidates. Perhaps this year is special. I was happy, anyway.

    Voted yes for all the levy renewals, including for my school district, public park district (for “capital improvements”), and for the County Mental Health and Recovery Board. I also voted yes for Issue 1, which is about reducing drug sentences and probate reform.

  12. 12.

    lamh36

    October 25, 2018 at 1:47 pm

    I’m voting but nobody food in my parish. So I’m voting straight Dem wheee they is a Dem nom. I’m in Scalia district bleh

  13. 13.

    Brachiator

    October 25, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    I’m in California and will try to early vote soon. Mainly because I’m tired of looking at the damned ballot. Too many propositions, and we also have to vote on judges as well as political candidates.

    On the plus side, I like a lot of the candidates and want to see them in office.

    @PaulWartenberg:

    For myself, I’m a traditionalist in doing the voting on the actual Election Day. But then again I admit I’m a white male so I don’t get a lot of hassles

    If you’re a Democrat, you’re on the enemies list.

  14. 14.

    lamh36

    October 25, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    In more interesting news…if true..

    ‪Megyn Kelly out at NBC after defending blackface https://pge.sx/2EJFp0z via @pagesix‬

    ‪They never should have hired this racist bitch!!! Now they put $69 million…when they could have Tamron Hall her own show! FUQ em!‬

  15. 15.

    Lee

    October 25, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    My oldest is coming in from college tomorrow and the 3 of us are going voting Saturday morning. My youngest is in France so voted by mail.

    You are a better person than I am to vote for Manchin. I realize the alternative is worse but I’m not sure I would have been able to pull the lever for him.

  16. 16.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 25, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    @lamh36: The bosses at the media houses are the most reliable T-base.

  17. 17.

    BruceFromOhio

    October 25, 2018 at 1:55 pm

    … I did not even need to roofie myself before voting for Manchin.

    Words to live by. Thanks for voting, and supporting democracy with sanity.

  18. 18.

    Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ

    October 25, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    Dropped my ballot in the mail two days ago. It felt good. I doubt my local votes will make any difference but I know in the long run, AZ will turn blue. And when that day comes, I’m going to be doing my happy dance (naked with a mop, optional).

  19. 19.

    Timurid

    October 25, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    I voted yesterday. I got in and out in less than 10 minutes (compared to an hour plus in 2016). It’s a very quiet election here. No races for Senate or Governor this year. The ballot had only two choices for actual people (vs. proposals/initatives)… Congress and (Louisiana) Secretary of State. I clicked the (D) for both, but Republicans will win both of those seats easily.

  20. 20.

    Mike in DC

    October 25, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    I still prefer voting on Election Day(which should be a mandatory federal holiday, frankly) but am happy that early voting is becoming more commonplace.

  21. 21.

    Ferdinand

    October 25, 2018 at 2:00 pm

    My wife and stepson (18, his first election) and I all completed our Washington ballots night before last, and I’ll drop them in the ballot box at our local fire station later today. Huzzah!

    Fun to do a straight ticket Democratic ballot. Had two local offices with Republicans running unopposed (County Commissioner and County Assessor) so we left those races blank. No Republican gets my vote, period. Sen. Cantwell is way ahead in her reelection bid, as is our Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer.

    State measures are interesting this year. Yes to fees on greenhouse gas pollutants; increased firearms safety and background checks; yes to mandatory de-escalation and mental health training for police. No to the stupid measure Big Cola is pushing to outlaw local taxes on soft drinks. Yes locally for money for fire (duh), and to expand the boundaries of our town port.

    Three cheers for democracy!

  22. 22.

    The Moar You Know

    October 25, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    I was in such a chipper mood voting for them that I did not even need to roofie myself before voting for Manchin. I have a lot of problems with him, but I really think he is the best we can expect for right now from the Democrats, and as long as he keeps supporting SS, Medicaid, and caucusing with the Dems, I will vote for him.

    That your state is not GOP from top to bottom is a fucking miracle, so yeah, you vote for Manchin.

    One thing I’m running into in my local state assembly race is that the two candidates who made the primary (Horvath/Warren) refuse to cite their party affiliation. Both of them. And neither is endorsed by either party. Horvath I’m pretty sure is a stealth Republican. Warren is a total unknown with no prior experience to judge at all. Frankly neither one has the experience for the job, which is another concern. Very concerned that this might become a trend. In CA, unless you’re in the sticks, and I am not, it won’t hurt you to publicly identify as Dem, so that’s why the suspicion.

  23. 23.

    bg

    October 25, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    I voted this morning. Had to drive around the block twice to find a parking space. Never seen it this busy on a weekday.
    Happy to see some African American faces in my mostly white neighborhood public library.
    Voted straight Dem, including Andrew Gillum .I was pretty happy with my candidate choices for statewide office, not quite as happy with some of the local ones, but they were not terrible.
    Voted to automatically restore voting rights to felons who have served their time, to ban vaping in indoor public spaces; to ban offshore drilling, for a 6 year ban on paid lobbying by public officials after they leave office.
    Also voted for a pay raise for teachers. Lord knows they need it and deserve it.
    I guess that makes me a pinko like you.

  24. 24.

    Marcopolo

    October 25, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    Here’s another tool for folks. I don’t have a particularly wide network of friends or contacts on my phone. However if you do, please download this app VoteWithMe & use it. It will identify folks in your phone’s contact list who live in swing districts so you can give them a prompt to vote. Once again, you will be the person emailing, texting or calling your friends. Pretty easy and this election is going to be getting folks to the polls.

    VoteWithMe is a mobile app that uses your personal network to help you get out the vote. VoteWithMe gives you a list of the highest-impact potential voters in your phone’s address book. Then, it’s up to you to remind each of your contacts to vote. Do your part to advance progressive goals and help get out the vote!

    As of tomorrow I will have voted a week ago, have been encouraging all my friends to go out & do so as well. If I could escort each and every one of them to the polls and then give them a cookie after they voted I would.

  25. 25.

    Cheryl Rofer

    October 25, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    @PaulWartenberg: I VOTED FOR LIBRARIES TOO!

    My mother was a librarian, and libraries made up a big part of my childhood years. I will always vote for them.

  26. 26.

    dww44

    October 25, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    Jon, you really are a good guy. Thanks for all you’ve done and are doing to GOTV in the right, um left, way in West By God Virginia.

  27. 27.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    October 25, 2018 at 2:11 pm

    @The Moar You Know:
    I’m still not a troll and still not an asshole.

  28. 28.

    mali muso

    October 25, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Here in Virginia, they make it hard to vote early (you have to do an absentee ballot and have “reasons” for why you can’t vote on Election Day). So I’ll be casting my ballot for Tim Kaine and Jennifer Wexton in a few weeks. The Book of Faces reminded me that it was exactly two years ago today that I voted for Hillary (and Kaine!). I voted early then because I was pregnant and due to give birth in November and didn’t want to risk missing it. Hard to look back at that photo, so full of hope for the future of the country and my unborn daughter.

  29. 29.

    Catherine D.

    October 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    In NY, so no vote yet, but I’ll be there at 6:30 am on Nov 6. I’ve downloaded the sample ballot and thankfully there are no propositions on it.

  30. 30.

    James E Powell

    October 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    I’m doing my mail-in ballot right now. I’ve been voting a straight Democratic ticket, all the way to the last page, since 1974. It is only recently, however, that many people have seen the virtue of this behavior.

  31. 31.

    schrodingers_cat

    October 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    This Gary Abernathy person who is the resident T-base whisperer for WashPost sounds more like a DougJ parody than a real person.
    His latest concern trolling:

    Hey, liberals, you’re doing yourselves no favor by clamoring for an end to the electoral college

  32. 32.

    realbtl

    October 25, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    1st thing tomorrow morning I’ll fill mine out and take it to the courthouse ‘cuz it’s a cool old building. Though I’m perplexed, all the ads say Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein are tunning for everything and I don’t see them on the ballot.

  33. 33.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    Here is where I confess something I was ignorant about for a long time:

    I thought you couldn’t leave races blank. I think I got the idea after the “hanging chads” debacle in 2000. I read somewhere that they were going through the ballots and tossing those that were “incompletely filled out.”

    Every election we get conservative judges who run unopposed, usually under mysterious “I’m (heh heh) not officially a republican!” parties.

    Anyway, I finally wised up a few years ago.

  34. 34.

    realbtl

    October 25, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    @realbtl: Ack, no edit. Running not tunning

  35. 35.

    trollhattan

    October 25, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    Am putting this under the Least Possible Surprise category.

    According to a former senior defense department insider, National Security Advisor John Bolton and his top deputy are leading a “whisper campaign” hoping to accelerate the departure of Defense Secretary James Mattis in order to solidify the hawkish Bolton’s influence over President Donald Trump. Foreign Policy reports Bolton has enlisted one of his senior aides — Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel — to spread rumors about Mattis leaving sooner rather than later.

    A former senior defense official told FP that Bolton believes Mattis is “not ideologically aligned” with a Trump administration that wants to be quicker on the trigger to respond to international confrontations than the less confrontational — and more introspective — former United States Marine Corps general.

    Describing Bolton and his aides as having ” the knives out,” the ex-defense official said Mattis’ detractors are trying “to build the sense that he is done for.”

  36. 36.

    ruemara

    October 25, 2018 at 2:17 pm

    Go team Voting! Or at least, team Dems voting Dems. I can’t believe we’re being outpaced in early voting tho.

  37. 37.

    HAL

    October 25, 2018 at 2:18 pm

    Someone driving over the Grand Island Bridge from Niagara Falls NY had a Beto for Senate sticker on their car. He might not win Texas but that guy’s appeal has spread pretty far.

  38. 38.

    hells littlest angel

    October 25, 2018 at 2:18 pm

    I have a lot of problems with him, but I really think he is the best we can expect for right now from the Democrats, and as long as he keeps supporting SS, Medicaid, and caucusing with the Dems, I will vote for him.

    That’s some Grade-A sanity right there. Not every state can give us an Elizabeth Warren or a Kamala Harris. We have to accept the friends and allies we can get.

  39. 39.

    opiejeanne

    October 25, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    We voted last Friday, dropped off our ballots at the nearest drop box yesterday. It’s our ritual since Washington votes by mail. Straight blue ticket, and against everything Big Oil, Big Soda, and the NRA want. Voted for officer training in de-escalation of confrontations so the cops don’t just shoot someone causing a ruckus. There are a couple of cop associations against that one but the sheriff and bunch of other people I like are for it.
    This year the ballots were pre-paid postage but we still drove over to Redmond just to hear that satisfying sound of the ballots dropping onto a pile of other ballots.

  40. 40.

    VeniceRiley

    October 25, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    @Brachiator:

    I’m in California and will try to early vote soon. Mainly because I’m tired of looking at the damned ballot. Too many propositions, and we also have to vote on judges as well as political candidates.

    Hey brachiator, you may have missed it. Go to the ultraconservative judgevoterguide.com they have every area and judge. Vote opposite of their recommendations. Easy peasy.

  41. 41.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 25, 2018 at 2:21 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: Dude, seriously.

  42. 42.

    peej01

    October 25, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    I am working the polls for early voting tomorrow so I will be voting then.

  43. 43.

    FelonyGovt

    October 25, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    I will vote on November 6 with husband and daughter. 3 straight Democratic votes right there.
    And we finally got our sample ballot books (a big deal for us Californians) so we will sit at the kitchen table tonight and fill them out and I will instruct my family how to vote, I mean, have a discussion about who and what to vote for.

  44. 44.

    Origuy

    October 25, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    I saw a Beto lawn sign this morning in Palo Alto.

    Election Day in years past was a day for picnics and celebrations. The story of the Hatfields and McCoys comes to mind; it was at an election day picnic that Rosanna McCoy ran off with Johnse Hatfield, escalating the feud that had started in the Civil War. I’m a descendant of both families, though not of the main characters.

  45. 45.

    ruemara

    October 25, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    @VeniceRiley: Thanks for that. I definitely shared it. With a full explanation.

  46. 46.

    Shakti

    October 25, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    @PaulWartenberg: They’re getting past Adblock, Adblock Plus and the Youtube extension for Chrome/Firefox/Opera?

  47. 47.

    Frankensteinbeck

    October 25, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    The ‘early voting is skewing Republican’ thing had me terrified until I found out that study was strictly absentee ballots, which is not the kind of voting we were depending on or ever counting on turning Democrat anyway.

  48. 48.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    October 25, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    They completely misrepresented what I had said on that thread on Tuesday and it pissed me off. Moar accused me of “bagging” on Kay when I did no such thing. They called me a troll and an asshole. Worst of all, they refused to engage with me afterwards; refused to hear what I had to say, to even come to a better understanding. That pisses me off even more.

    I previously had a good relationship with this commenter and want them to acknowledge what I have to say in my defense.

  49. 49.

    satby

    October 25, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: your constant repetition of this is beginning to make you seem like both. I know you’re young but I thought you were out of grade school.

  50. 50.

    The Truffle

    October 25, 2018 at 2:47 pm

    My state does not have early voting, unfortunately. I plan to campaign to change that.

  51. 51.

    MisterForkbeard

    October 25, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    My ballot goes in the mail today.

  52. 52.

    donnah

    October 25, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    We’re voting early, this Saturday. My husband and I are picking up our youngest son and also meeting our oldest son there to vote. All Democrats, plus some key issues like our local Metroparks (the oldest son works for them) and Issue One, for drug rehab vs prison. Afterward, maybe a family lunch!

  53. 53.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    October 25, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    @satby:
    Constant? I commented once yesterday, and it had nothing to do with this.

    How am I supposed to feel when somebody slanders me and then just shuts me off?

  54. 54.

    Mnemosyne

    October 25, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??:

    Never gonna happen. You’ve probably been pied. Acknowledge and move on.

  55. 55.

    CaseyL

    October 25, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    Two tasks for today: finish and send out a batch of postcards, and fill out/drop off my mail-in ballot.

    All states should have vote-by-mail. I understand perfectly well why most (esp. GOP dominated states) do not – which is just another reason to support it.

  56. 56.

    satby

    October 25, 2018 at 2:59 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: you repeated it a bunch in the thread where it took place. Follow Omnes’ advice, it’s good.
    You don’t control other people’s reactions and no one has to respond to anyone. It’s the internet.

  57. 57.

    Mike in DC

    October 25, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    So, Michael Avenatti just took whatever remains of his accumulated good will/presidential prospects, doused it with gasoline and whipped out the zippo.
    “The 2020 Democratic nominee had better be a white male.”
    Buh-Bye.

  58. 58.

    Yutsano

    October 25, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: You said your piece. It’s time to brush it off and let it go. You can’t control how other people react to you. You apologised. That should be enough.

    And no one has to answer you.

  59. 59.

    Mandalay

    October 25, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    @lamh36:

    Megyn Kelly out at NBC after defending blackface

    This tweet nailed it for me….

    Matt Lauer: paid $25 million a year
    Megyn Kelly: paid $23 million a year
    Average U.S. reporter: makes $40,000 a year

    Imagine what NBC could do if it did news with its morning shows

  60. 60.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 25, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    @satby:

    Follow Omnes’ advice

    One doesn’t see that very often.

  61. 61.

    Mandalay

    October 25, 2018 at 3:04 pm

    @Mike in DC:

    The 2020 Democratic nominee had better be a white male

    Hmmm…I wonder if Avenatti had anyone specific in mind…

    He’s claiming that his remark was taken out of context but he knew exactly what he was doing when he said it. He’s just another fucking lawyer/grifter.

    Avenatti can shut up, go away and not come back.

  62. 62.

    VeniceRiley

    October 25, 2018 at 3:07 pm

    @ruemara: Thanks ruemara. I definitely would wish for it, had I not found it. The fact that we’re using their site for cross purposes makes it all the sweeter.

  63. 63.

    donnah

    October 25, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    @Mandalay:

    I’d let Avenatti stick around, not as a presidential candidate, but as a big thorn in Trump’s side.

  64. 64.

    mad citizen

    October 25, 2018 at 3:11 pm

    I voted Tuesday in Indiana. Have seen a Beto sign in Indianapolis. Was hoping to get one myself in my current visit to Austin but it looks like his campaign HQ is not downtown.

  65. 65.

    El Caganer

    October 25, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    @Mike in DC: Maybe he’s thinking of running as a Republican….

  66. 66.

    LeonS

    October 25, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    I started to fill out my CA mail-in ballot yesterday evening … and messed up the very first mark. Too many household distractions I guess. I got a replacement this morning and will take another stab at it Friday evening.

  67. 67.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    October 25, 2018 at 3:26 pm

    @PaulWartenberg: How did the Florida writers conference go? If you reported, I missed it.

  68. 68.

    Barbara

    October 25, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??: There is no final adjudication in comments. To quote John Lennon: “Half of what I say is meaningless but I say it just to reach you.” It’s a conversation not a contest. Sometimes things we say are misunderstood or taken out of context. You pause, reset and move on.

  69. 69.

    chris

    October 25, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    Avenatti! Or not.

    NEW: Here's the letter from Sen. Grassley referring Michael Avenatti and Julie Swetnick to DOJ for possible criminal investigation into whether they made false statements about Brett Kavanaugh: https://t.co/d42U1rcH2r pic.twitter.com/OKbi1sjVuq— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) 25 October 2018

  70. 70.

    BlueGirlFromWyo

    October 25, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    @schrodingers_cat: Gary Abernathy is definitely in the running for worst person in the world award.

  71. 71.

    Arm The Homeless

    October 25, 2018 at 3:30 pm

    Voted here in Floriduh. Happy to cast my vote for Nelson and Gillum, against some fucking fascist corpse named Rooney, and against all the stupid fucking amendments, except for the oil drilling ban and re-enfranchising felons.

    The GOP has radicalized me against them, lord help them if a bunch of other 30-something White(ish) guys make that same decision

  72. 72.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 3:31 pm

    There is a “It’s Mueller Time” t-shirt. I see Cole bragged about on twiiter but no pic there either. And nothing in BJ blog gear store.

    I demand a pic. Now (that means NOW, Cole, RIGHT NOW!)

    Or, I smell yet another blogter ethics panel for this miserable lefty almost 10 10,000 blog.

    (I put some of my demand in all caps with an exclamation point, since I know Cole responds to that kind of thing.)

  73. 73.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 25, 2018 at 3:32 pm

    I filled out my ballot last Friday, and got it in the drop box over the weekend.

    The WVA ballot looks remarkably like the Oregon mail in ballot in format and overall appearance.

  74. 74.

    Seanly

    October 25, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    I haven’t voted yet in Boise, ID. I should see if my wife & I can vote early. Maybe at City Hall next week. Saturday voting is available but usually jam-packed.

    While Idaho is deep red, Boise is a purple dot – almost the entire set of state senators & reps for the Boise area is Democrats (the bulk of the vastly outnumbered D’s in the state house). I don’t know if Paulette Jordan can pull off a victory – Idaho is still very much an old white male state. They just seem to luv them some lecturing white dudes with bad dentures.

    I’ll be voting straight D (some lower positions like city & county commissioners are non-partisan). For magister judges, we get to say retain or not.

    For ballot issues, we have Prop 1 about allowing video horse games in horse tracks – going with NO. Prop 2 is a Medicare expansion – going with a big YES. Ada County has measures to increase the county car registration (state’s part unaffected but that went up last year). The county’s community college wants to levy an addition to property taxes to fund a huge (and much needed) expansion. Unfortunately, levies require a 67% majority. I will be voting YES on both local issues.

  75. 75.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    OK, since Cole couldn’t take the trouble to respond to my demand in a timely manner, I google the t-shirt.
    Looks nice. I’ll buy one.

    Where is the “Unread by John G. Cole since 2002” rotating header? I guess it’s being updated.

  76. 76.

    Skepticat

    October 25, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    As an American resident living overseas most of the time, I get to vote online, which I did two days ago–and my vote has been acknowledged and accepted. Long ago, I often split my ticket, but no more. I voted for all the bond issues, even though Maine already is the third most heavily taxed state in the country. Surprisingly, the referendum question was worded in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way. I only wish Collins had been on the ticket for me to vote against, but soon …

  77. 77.

    Sandia Blanca

    October 25, 2018 at 3:34 pm

    I voted early, and encourage all who have that ability to do so, for these reasons:
    1. Something might happen to keep you from voting on Election Day (bus, earthquake, hurricane, imposition of martial law, etc.)
    2. The lines are shorter than on November 6.
    3. Campaigns will stop calling and texting you (assuming that they are getting daily updates from elections officials as to who has voted already).
    4. It frees you up to do GOTV on Election Day (e.g. drive a senior to the polls).
    5. You can wear your “I voted” sticker every day to encourage others.
    6. You will make the lines shorter for everyone else who can’t vote early.
    7. It feels GREAT!

  78. 78.

    thruppence

    October 25, 2018 at 3:37 pm

    I’m filling out my Colorado ballot now, and I’ll drop it off tomorrow. A straight D ticket and a few confusing Amendments and Propositions to wade through. No senators up this year, but Cory Gardner (R) is up in 2020, so we’ll need a good candidate then. Maybe Governor Hickenlooper? Those around him seem to be making presidential bid noises, but I think he’d be better in the Senate.

  79. 79.

    Groucho48

    October 25, 2018 at 3:40 pm

    @Lee:

    Don’t think of it as a vote for Manchin. Think of it as a vote against Trump.

  80. 80.

    Uncle Cosmo

    October 25, 2018 at 3:41 pm

    @Barbara: Um, just FTR Lennon kindasorta lighfingered that line:

    The line “Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you” was a slight alteration from Kahlil Gibran’s “Sand and Foam” (1926) in which the original verse reads, “Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it so that the other half may reach you”. Lennon also adapted the lines “When I cannot sing my heart, I can only speak my mind” from Gibran’s “When life does not find a singer to sing her heart she produces a philosopher to speak her mind”.

    I went off a’googlin’ because I’d heard rumors in the day that he’d lifted the lyrics in toto from someone else’s pome but had never before been moved to check them out. Not quite so drastic, the truth. (“Good poets borrow, great poets steal” – ETA: Which itself appears to be a near-theft of something T.S. Eliot wrote.)

  81. 81.

    jeffreyw

    October 25, 2018 at 3:44 pm

    @jl: It’s Mueller Time

  82. 82.

    jeffreyw

    October 25, 2018 at 3:45 pm

    jeffreyw
    says:
    Your comment is awaiting moderation.
    October 25, 2018 at 3:44 pm
    @jl: It’s Mueller Time

  83. 83.

    H.E.Wolf

    October 25, 2018 at 3:46 pm

    Received my ballot last Friday, filled it out and mailed it on Saturday. Although I appreciate the advantages of vote-by-mail, I do get a bit nostalgic for the old days of walking into my polling place and casting my vote in community with others.

    Locations I’ve voted, over the years:
    The Ahhhmory (a pale-green stucco building with crenelations) in Somerville MA;
    A synagogue;
    The nursery-school building at a Catholic church;
    My college dorm room, absentee, with a punch ballot, a plastic punch tool, and a piece of styrofoam to rest the ballot on while punching holes (all 3 items supplied by my home state);
    Something that looked from the outside like a public restroom, but was really a tiny community center in a local park.
    [ETA: I forgot about the Episcopal cathedral! Only voted there once before changing precincts.]

    On election days when I was in elementary school, our cafeteria would sprout a row of curtained voting booths along one side of the room, and grownups would come in to vote. Sacred Mysteries in progress!

  84. 84.

    Patricia Kayden

    October 25, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    WHITE PEOPLE PLEASE DO NOT FUCK THIS UP LIKE 2016.

    And non-White people, please come out to vote in droves!! YES WE CAN.

  85. 85.

    Villago Delenda Est

    October 25, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    @trollhattan: Bolton is a menace to the peace of the planet.

    His head belongs on a pike, not on his shoulders.

  86. 86.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 25, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    Voted on Monday about an hour and a half after in-person early voting began. State website says my ballot was received at the precinct.

  87. 87.

    opiejeanne

    October 25, 2018 at 4:00 pm

    @The Moar You Know: Check the League of Women Voters website for commentary from people who refuse to identify. If they didn’t bother then don’t vote for them. There may be other sites for progressive suggestions.
    For the judges, In WA I found a Bar Association website that rated the non-partisan judges.

  88. 88.

    MisterForkbeard

    October 25, 2018 at 4:00 pm

    @Mandalay: The dumb thing is, saying “I’d prefer a white male so that the crazies on the republican side won’t be quite so determined to vote against us” isn’t an unreasonable proposition even though I think most of us disagree with it at this point – they’re so messed up that now they’re blaming Democrats and CNN for being attacked by Republicans. But if that’s what he meant, he phrased it incredibly badly and offensively. He can’t lawyer his way out of that, either – if he’s going to make that kind of dumb mistake, he’s unqualified to be the nominee for a serious party.

    He could always run as a Republican, I guess.

  89. 89.

    Schlemazel

    October 25, 2018 at 4:10 pm

    @Sandia Blanca:
    I have been very reluctant to vote early since turd blossom killed Paul Wellstone in the closing days of the election and all those early votes for him made the difference in electing that slime Norm Coleman

  90. 90.

    Schlemazel

    October 25, 2018 at 4:13 pm

    @opiejeanne:
    Good advice. I also check to see who is endorsing the candidate. With judges it can be a real marker.

  91. 91.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: If a candidate is smart, talks straight, ad convince people of sincerity in trying to solve their problems, no one cares that much about race anymore, except die-hard white bigots who will always vote GOP anyway. Look at what Gillum is doing in Florida, and what Abrams is fixing to do in Georgia.

    It’s a free country and Avenatti can try to run if he wants. His policy statement is good, so in that respect he might add something to the debate. But if that is a sign of his political instincts, he’ll be out very early, if ever gets enough backing of any kind to last to the first primary.

  92. 92.

    Kdaug

    October 25, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    @??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??:

    Meh. Everyone has bad days. Don’t let it get you down, sunshine.

  93. 93.

    zhena gogolia

    October 25, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    People magazine tells me Megyn Kelly’s been fired. Forgive me if this has already been discussed — my phone and internet’s been out all day because a workman drove a truck into the driveway this morning and pulled down the phone line.

  94. 94.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 4:23 pm

    @zhena gogolia: She could write her own ticket at NBC, and I guess could have walked away from Fox News BS. But her performance indicates some of their news actors at Fox News are really, in the marrow of their bones, sincere reactionary bigots. Really amazes me that she couldn’t get that Fox News propaganda out of her head and so glossy Kabuki theatre corporate media political, and other, interviews and happy talk. I guess because it was just beyond her.

    She could be chatting away about the social evolution for pumpkin spice flavors, and what it all means, this morning for a huge paycheck. But noo…….
    Something in common with Trump: bigotry and lack of self-discipline.

  95. 95.

    opiejeanne

    October 25, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: I think that’s what he meant, and it is one of those things that people will consider whether we like it or not, when considering the odds. But boy, did he phrase it poorly.

  96. 96.

    John Revolta

    October 25, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    @Uncle Cosmo: Lennon used Chuck Berry lines too and I don’t think he expected nobody would notice. I think he was
    more quoting than borrowing.

  97. 97.

    MisterForkbeard

    October 25, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    @jl: Yep. I totally agree with you, though like I said it’s not completely unreasonable to just say “I think the bar is easier for a white male, let’s not take chances here.” I wouldn’t flip out on someone for saying it, though I’m skeptical of the argument. I do think there’s something to the argument that women and minorities are covered VERY differently by the media than white males and that has a lot of downstream effects, but in some rare cases that can be an advantage.

    I think Gillum has just recently catapulted himself into national prominence, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does in national races. But I also don’t think he’ll run for anything in the next 4-6 years other than Governor, assuming he wins. But he’s cemented himself as a rising star.

  98. 98.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    @opiejeanne: I wrote a comment to the effect of ‘you can take the bigot out of Fox News, but you can’t take the Fox News out of the bigot’. Really amazes me that someone who is supposed to be so smart, quick and savvy couldn’t shake the BS, even for the sake of a big fat easy paycheck.

  99. 99.

    Fair Economist

    October 25, 2018 at 4:31 pm

    @The Moar You Know: Warren and Hovarth are both Dems:

    Neither has been endorsed by the Democratic party because both agreed, after the primary votes rolled in, not to seek their party’s formal endorsement.

    Warren is a Berner. Horvath seems establishment-to-centrist but she has union support, so probably not a stealth Rethug.

  100. 100.

    Zippity

    October 25, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    I’m going to vote after work today. I’m a new precinct committee person, so I need to be free to work on Election Day. I’ve never been involved other than donating $. I have been a bit disappointed in the lack of training and support for us new people. It’s like they just wanted to say that they had someone in every precinct, but didn’t really care if we were successful.
    I’ve lived in my house for 16 years and had never been contacted by the Democratic Party until I received a post card asking about interest in being a committee person this spring.
    I figure whatever I do is more than what would have been done if I hadn’t volunteered.

  101. 101.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 4:35 pm

    @MisterForkbeard: That is why I put in the initial ‘If’. If you are a white guy over 30, or a rich white geezer, you don’t have to be much of anything, and you have a good shot, even so. Cuomo Jr and Manchin are prime examples.

    Gillum is impressive.I think he is getting national attention for his amazing quickness of mind, and political instincts. He don’t need no bigshot giving me a stupid response to SOTU adddress or national convention. He just comes on, acts himself and let’s it rip.

  102. 102.

    Roger Moore

    October 25, 2018 at 4:36 pm

    @jl:

    But if that is a sign of his political instincts, he’ll be out very early, if ever gets enough backing of any kind to last to the first primary.

    Putting down a marker: if Avenatti runs, it will be as a grifting opportunity, not as a serious candidate.

  103. 103.

    Mike in NC

    October 25, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    @zhena gogolia: Kelly is out at NBC and was a terrible hire to begin with. Andrew Lack decided they needed to hire a whole bunch of right-wingers as a result of the “economic uncertainty” of the mythical white working class. She’ll get to keep her multi-million dollar golden parachute while working on her next book.

  104. 104.

    The Moar You Know

    October 25, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    Warren is a Berner. Horvath seems establishment-to-centrist but she has union support, so probably not a stealth Rethug.

    @Fair Economist: Thanks for that! Embarrassing I couldn’t run that down myself. Horvath it is.

  105. 105.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    @jl: And Gillum is amazingly cool, I’ve never seen him rattled, yet in an engagingly animated way. Reminds me of some recent Democrats who knew how to win elections. And I think both more progressive and down-to-earth than either Bill C or Obama. Maybe better than either. Gillum seems to have the perfect response running through his head, and he can occupy himself delivering that, before he even has time to get rattled, offended, or upset.

  106. 106.

    MomSense

    October 25, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    The last three days I planned to vote and ended up with a house full of puke the first day and the last two days major crises at work. Ugh. Fingers crossed, tomorrow will be the day!

    Also too my headlight failed and I was stopped by the police last night so I am now at the garage because fucking Subaru decided to make changing a lightbulb require a service call. Seriously they have to put the car on the lift to change the GD lightbulb. My youngest has a movie date and he didn’t like the idea of being pulled over with his date in the car while driving her home. I don’t think the waiting room at the garage has been dusted or vacuumed since about 1986 (judging by the amount of dirt and the television that is about 3 feet in depth.

    End of rant.

  107. 107.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 25, 2018 at 4:44 pm

    Just did. Straight D.

  108. 108.

    Cheap Jim

    October 25, 2018 at 4:45 pm

    Sure, I voted absentee a week ago. I was interested in double-checking my registration, and it turns out anyone in Maryland can vote that way without even having to make up an excuse. I used to vote on the day, getting in as one of the first of the day before going to work. A few years back, I checked out early voting, because there was a chance I’d be out of town. It was more crowded, and actually less convenient, as it would have been a long walk, but with lots of people lining up, there was a crowd of cars and such. As it is, I did a little research on the few questions I wasn’t up on (like the Baltimore City Inspector General one), filled in my ballot, and mailed it on my way to work the next day. The state Board of Elections even has a tool to track my ballot. They have it by now.

    So, yeah, if you have a chance to vote by mail, I’d say take it.

  109. 109.

    ciotog

    October 25, 2018 at 4:46 pm

    I voted Monday. I will be a poll worker on Election Day. It gave me great joy to vote against Bruce Rauner.

  110. 110.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 4:48 pm

    The right likes Megyn Kelly again … all it took was defending blackface. https://t.co/RCBToesC9L— Kirsten Powers (@KirstenPowers) October 25, 2018

  111. 111.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 4:49 pm

    A lot of media types–not just NBC–looked the other way as Megyn Kelly race-baited her way up the career ladder, writes @KirstenPowers: https://t.co/1wgNEVmIsF via @usatoday— Robert Draper (@DraperRobert) October 25, 2018

  112. 112.

    NotMax

    October 25, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    Huh? Wha? There’s an election?

    :)

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    Let it go. Water off a duck’s back and all that. And for Pete’s sake, don’t become stalkerish about it.

    “Thank you in advance.”
      – Pete

    ;)

  113. 113.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    James Karen has died. What a career!

    Everything from a Buster Keaton movie to Poltergeist to 1940s theater.

  114. 114.

    Mnemosyne

    October 25, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    @Roger Moore:

    He would never win a single primary. Democrats aren’t nearly as dumb as Republicans, and our base has very little patience for Avenatti’s alpha male bullshit.

  115. 115.

    Mary G

    October 25, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    My housemate is a naturalized citizen originally from Guatemala. She was inspired to do so by Obama. Her family has been here since the 1980s and they will all sit down together on Sunday where Papa will instruct them which boxes to fill in. Then they make a big meal and give thanks to be in America. I pointed out the judges guide to him, but he had done his own research, which came out the same.

    She has a cousin in Atlanta who is a citizen but never voted before because the white cop who stands at the door where you go to register with his hand on the butt of his gun and a glowering face scared her too much. I told the family to make her vote last summer and hooked her up with VotoLatino. She really got into it and last night we got a text with a picture of six little nurses aides all in scrubs and peach “I Voted” stickers and I burst into tears. There may be as many 20 more friends and family those women get into the booth. They travel back and forth to Guatemala all the time and brought their American passports for ID and none of them were caught into Kemp’s exact match BS and no one had to do a provisional ballot. I guarantee you none of them have been polled and even if Stacey Abrams doesn’t win this time they will be fired up and ready to go in 2020 against Trump, because babies in cages that look like them. One of them is phonebanking in Spanish.

  116. 116.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    Senate Judiciary committee chair Chuck Grassley has called for an FBI investigation into lawyer Michael Avenatti and Julie Swetnick, one of the many women who have accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, reported John King Thursday on CNN.

    Calling it “fallout” from the bitter fight over Kavanaugh’s confirmation, King said Grassley wants the FBI and the DOJ to “look into whether these were materially false statements made to the committee.”

    via rawstory

  117. 117.

    Mary G

    October 25, 2018 at 5:05 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Yes, the black women I follow on Twitter are not Avenatti fans.

  118. 118.

    Roger Moore

    October 25, 2018 at 5:07 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    He would never win a single primary.

    Yeah, but there are a lot of bros out there who would give his campaign a bunch of money. It’s the perfect grifting setup.

  119. 119.

    Mandalay

    October 25, 2018 at 5:11 pm

    @germy: From your link, Kirsten Powers made a brutal case for Megyn Kelly having been an open racist for a long time (while omitting Kelly’s vile “interview” with D.L. Hughley), but Powers also had the courage to write this:

    Lord knows that I am far from perfect on the issue of race. I cringe at things I’ve said in the past and especially at how long it took me to grasp the concept of institutional racism. But I’m making the effort to inform myself and grow and learn from people who know more about this issue than I do.

    I guess it’s possible that Powers is just trying to inoculate herself against bad shit she has said/written in the past being thrown back in her face, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt on that, so good for her for owning up to her own past racism.

  120. 120.

    Roger Moore

    October 25, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    @germy:

    Calling it “fallout” from the bitter fight over Kavanaugh’s confirmation, King said Grassley wants the FBI and the DOJ to “look into whether these were materially false statements made to the committee.”

    This seems like an incredibly vindictive and stupid thing to do. They want to punish Avenatti and Swetnick for bringing this stuff up, and hopefully to intimidate anyone else thinking about doing the same thing. The flip, stupid side is there’s a real risk the FBI will come back with a conclusion that the statements were likely to be true because the claimed corroborating witnesses checked out. Does Grassley either assume that couldn’t happen or that he could bury the results of the investigation if it does?

  121. 121.

    Frankensteinbeck

    October 25, 2018 at 5:24 pm

    This seems like an incredibly vindictive and stupid thing to do.

    Grassley in a nutshell. The whole Republican party is the Your Racist Uncle party now. Mean, petty, and yes, incredibly vindictive and stupid.

  122. 122.

    Brachiator

    October 25, 2018 at 5:26 pm

    @VeniceRiley:

    Hey brachiator, you may have missed it. Go to the ultraconservative judgevoterguide.com they have every area and judge. Vote opposite of their recommendations. Easy peasy.

    Visited the site, and it’s a hoot. You’re right, voting the opposite would probably be just the thing. But I am also looking at newspaper endorsements for some of these.

    the judge site gave a thumbs down to one of the candidates in County of Los Angeles; Office 60, and only grudgingly approved of the other candidate. But one of them appears to be better qualified, and both have endorsements from liberal organizations.

  123. 123.

    Brachiator

    October 25, 2018 at 5:34 pm

    @germy:

    James Karen has died. What a career!

    I immediately knew his face, but not the name. Great character actor!

    Everything from a Buster Keaton movie to Poltergeist to 1940s theater.

    An interesting bit of trivia with respect to Keaton (from the Wiki):

    He was married to Susan Reed (1926–2010), the actress and folk singer, with whom he had one son, Reed, whose godfather was Buster Keaton, Karen’s good friend.

  124. 124.

    Mary G

    October 25, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    Here is the history of my ballot I got online from the county registrar of voters:

    Ballot Mailed
    10/9/2018

    In-Home Delivery
    10/12/2018

    Ballot On Route
    10/22/18 20:28

    Ballot Received
    10/23/2018 11:20:49 AM

    Down to the second!

  125. 125.

    Dan B

    October 25, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    @PaulWartenberg: Yea libraries! Seattle and Martin Luther King County (greater Seattle) voted big bond measures for our library systems. They’re amazing. We take visitors to the mind blowing downtown Central Library. It feels like a temple of knowledge and a community center rolled into one.

    If I’ve got my history right the bond issue was led by a lesbian. Fantastic woman. Now if we can get her to work on our horribly regressive tax sructure, boo billionaires (the Gates’ excepted).

  126. 126.

    germy

    October 25, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    Officials tell NBC4 that they're looking into whether at least some of the packages were mailed from Florida. They also say the devices were poorly made and it's unclear if these were attempted hoaxes or simply a case of bad construction. https://t.co/Oxf8w5JjW5— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 25, 2018

    Florida Man!

    .

    @Brachiator: I remember him from the Pathmark commercials. I think that must have been where I first saw him.

  127. 127.

    JGabriel

    October 25, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    John Cole @ Top:

    I Voted, Did You?

    Not yet. I’ll be voting on Election Day.

    NY makes it a PITA to vote early.

    Fortunately, my polling place is literally two blocks away. So it’s really not any kind of inconvenience or time-consuming hassle to get there and vote on Election Day — for me.

    I wish the state would take some steps to make voting easier for more people, though, especially with respect to improving — or really just even legislating and implementing — early and mail-in voting procedures.

  128. 128.

    tobie

    October 25, 2018 at 5:47 pm

    @Mary G: Thanks for sharing this story, which gave me a much-needed lift. The kicker at the end — that your roommate’s cousin’s friend is phone banking in Spanish — was so good to read.

  129. 129.

    Gelfling 545

    October 25, 2018 at 5:49 pm

    @chris: And if they find they did not? Surely the time to investigate this was BEFORE Kavanaugh was confirmed.

  130. 130.

    cain

    October 25, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    This seems like an incredibly vindictive and stupid thing to do. They want to punish Avenatti and Swetnick for bringing this stuff up, and hopefully to intimidate anyone else thinking about doing the same thing. The flip, stupid side is there’s a real risk the FBI will come back with a conclusion that the statements were likely to be true because the claimed corroborating witnesses checked out. Does Grassley either assume that couldn’t happen or that he could bury the results of the investigation if it does?

    Also, do they really want to drag Kavanaugh back into the news cycle? Because that’s what is going to happen and if there is any truth in it, the FBI will continue to investigate this time jumping to Ford. It was a stupid thing to do. Avanatti is not one to back down from a fight like that. He’s a goddam shark.

  131. 131.

    Gelfling 545

    October 25, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    Joe Biden was in town today to campaign for Nate McMurray. ?
    (Of course yesterday Bannon was here showing his ass about taking it as an honor to be called a racist. )

  132. 132.

    jl

    October 25, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    @Gelfling 545: The trick is to investigate just enough to get the result you want. I suppose Grassley is counting on being able to pull off that trick again.

  133. 133.

    Gelfling 545

    October 25, 2018 at 5:58 pm

    Wow. I just discovered the great feature than embiggins the comment space for ease of proof reading. Cool!

  134. 134.

    cain

    October 25, 2018 at 5:59 pm

    I dropped my ballot in the mail today (Oregon vote by mail) although I’m in Indiana. In any case, the oregon one had some red meat for conservatives to get them to come to the polls. I’m fairly sure there will be a strong democratic response this year in Oregon. I’m hoping that Kate will continue as Governor.

  135. 135.

    cain

    October 25, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    @jl:

    @Gelfling 545: The trick is to investigate just enough to get the result you want. I suppose Grassley is counting on being able to pull off that trick again.

    That would depend on Grassley getting the inside track from the FBI. Otherwise, what will happen is that the FBI might find something and if the House switches the Democrats will investigate the following year. Kavanaugh then will not be in the clear at all.

  136. 136.

    JGabriel

    October 25, 2018 at 6:06 pm

    2018/10/28, 6:00 PM.

    Polls in NY open in 276 hours (11.5 days) and close in 291 hours (12.125 days). I expect the numbers are roughly the same (give or take a few hours) for most of us.

    So, exactly 12 days from now, at 6:00 pm on Nov. 6, 2018, I (again like most of us) will be sitting here at my computer, impatiently waiting for election results to come in.

  137. 137.

    ruemara

    October 25, 2018 at 6:12 pm

    @jl: Hey, maybe you can praise Gillum without knocking anyone else. Because as President, you’re as progressive as the Congress you have to work with and to say Gillum is more down to earth than Obama makes zero sense.

  138. 138.

    debbie

    October 25, 2018 at 6:13 pm

    I’ve always voted on Election Day, but I’ve been thinking about early voting tomorrow since I have the day off. On the other hand, I also have plenty of errands and tasks to accomplish. Voting on Election Day means i can’t possibly work late. On the other hand, I hear that voting early freaks out Republicans. It’s a real conundrum.

  139. 139.

    But her emails!!!

    October 25, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    @jl:

    Megan Kelly walks away 69 million dollars richer and can now go out and make additional money spouting right wing bilge again. It’s NBC that was undisciplined. She took them to the cleaners.

  140. 140.

    WaterGirl

    October 25, 2018 at 6:32 pm

    @jl: I just happened to look at the BJ store today. Are you talking about the Balloon Man t-shirts? It said you could opt for one saying or both, and maybe neither?

  141. 141.

    PaulWartenberg

    October 25, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    @Brachiator:

    I kept myself NPA. Granted I don’t get to vote in primaries, but I *do* avoid the voter purges that way (I’ve met a handful of other Floridians who did the same thing).

  142. 142.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 25, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    @jl:

    If a candidate is smart, talks straight, ad convince people of sincerity in trying to solve their problems, no one cares that much about race anymore, except die-hard white bigots who will always vote GOP anyway. Look at what Gillum is doing in Florida, and what Abrams is fixing to do in Georgia.

    I don’t buy that. I’m pretty sure Obama, though he won twice, lost net votes for being black–there have been some statistical analyses strongly suggesting that.

    Though it doesn’t speak to your immediate point, I’m also positive that Hillary Clinton lost votes for being a woman.

    It’s just that at some point we have to be willing to take those hits to keep from electing white men everywhere forever.

  143. 143.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 25, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    @Mary G:

    She has a cousin in Atlanta who is a citizen but never voted before because the white cop who stands at the door where you go to register with his hand on the butt of his gun and a glowering face scared her too much.

    Now there’s some effective vote suppression.

  144. 144.

    PaulWartenberg

    October 25, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    Oh.

    That.

    …

    You might notice it didn’t go so good.

    I thought I was a winner. Instead I was a “finalist” which didn’t mean what I thought it meant.

    Bleh. Knocked all the wind out of my sails.

  145. 145.

    Steve in the ATL

    October 25, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    @Matt McIrvin: and we were told the New Black Panthers were the ones intimidating voters at the polls…

  146. 146.

    J R in WV

    October 25, 2018 at 6:57 pm

    @ Goku :

    Whatever you’re upset about, get over it. No one is pounding on you here! Relax! Please!!!

  147. 147.

    CarolDuhart2

    October 25, 2018 at 6:58 pm

    @germy: Oxham’s Rasor. From what I’ve read, building bombs is tricky even if you are an expert. Some work, some don’t, for reasons like temperature and humidity and what not that the builder has no control over. One thing the builder didn’t know about is that since 1995, and definitely since 2001, no mail goes directly to Congress or to Secret Service protectees without going through a separate facility. Also mail is scanned and many packages examined and x-rayed if dubious. So only screened mail ever gets through.

  148. 148.

    WaterGirl

    October 25, 2018 at 8:17 pm

    @PaulWartenberg: I’m really sorry about that, Paul. To say they were clueless is an understatement.

  149. 149.

    The Gray Adder

    October 25, 2018 at 8:57 pm

    I stood in line in the rain for 45 minutes on Monday to cast my vote to give Ted Cruz a pink slip. Apparently, every polling place in Texas was at least that busy, which I can tell you, is a Good Thing. It means a whole lot of people who would have ordinarily blown off the midterms actually voted. So either Beto O’Rourke gets Ted’s job, or we will have truly made our bed with both eyes open. Or wide shut. I, for one, will be happy not to have to listen to the stern lady tell me how long Texas’ southern border is, and how gangsters, drug dealers, and rapists (oh my!) are just pouring across the Rio Grande and how that’s just peachy and a-ok with Beto. Anybody who believes that shit should be castrated (or spayed like a dog) and be made to wear one of those signs that Bill Engvall likes to hand out.

  150. 150.

    Louis XVI

    October 25, 2018 at 9:00 pm

    @debbie: Just do it. I did it, and I feel awesome.

  151. 151.

    Vicki Harrison

    October 25, 2018 at 9:10 pm

    I am still very worried that my county clerk has not counted my mail in ballot because they are still trying to verify my signature.
    If that is the status of my ballot on Monday I’m going to go to the courthouse and see what I can do to get it counted. I wonder if my ballot in 2016 was counted.
    I just assumed since I’ve been voting for 40 plus years….maybe mail in isn’t the way to go. Especially if you live in a very red county/district.

  152. 152.

    rikyrah

    October 25, 2018 at 9:29 pm

    I am either going to vote tomorrow, during lunch, or on Sunday. Haven’t made up my mind. Printed out the list of judge recommendations from the local Black Bar group for reference.

  153. 153.

    rikyrah

    October 25, 2018 at 9:35 pm

    @Vicki Harrison:
    Have you updated your voter registration file. People’s signatures change over time. Always good for them to have an updated signature from you.

    2016 was the first time that I had added anything to my voter file in 15 years.

    Especially if you have been ill, update the registration. A lot of Seniors don’t. It’s not uncommon for someone to have a last signature in their file that is 20, 25, years old.

  154. 154.

    WaterGirl

    October 25, 2018 at 9:37 pm

    @rikyrah: I have never updated my signature since 1972. How do you update your voter registration file in Illinois?

  155. 155.

    rikyrah

    October 25, 2018 at 11:05 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    Go to the website of your local voter jurisdiction and download a paper application.

    Your local library should have voter registration forms too.

    For the cost of a stamp, you can update it.

  156. 156.

    debbie

    October 25, 2018 at 11:49 pm

    @rikyrah:

    My polling place uses tablets for signatures. No way will those look the same as an ink-on-paper signature.

  157. 157.

    rikyrah

    October 25, 2018 at 11:59 pm

    You are right.
    But, I believe that Vicki was talking about her Mail Ballot. Mail Ballots are accepted and rejected based on signature verification.
    Voters with old signatures are at a disadvantage.
    Signatures just aren’t about mail Ballots. They are also used to disqualify candidate petitions.
    It depends if you have an authority that wants to get as many votes as possible. The leniency of the authority.
    Do they use a computer program, or humans to judge signatures.

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